Another tough day for vitamin makers & takers

Another blow to the idea that taking vitamins helps to keep us healthy was published in the latest issue of the "Archives of Internal Medicine". The study, called "Multivitamin Use and Risk of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease in the Women's Health Initiative Cohorts", looked at 161,000 post-menopausal women over an 8 year time period, to see whether vitamin supplements reduced cancer rates, cardiovascular disease, or improved overall mortality rates.

The investigators compared the rates for cancers of the breast, colon & rectum, endometrium, kidney, bladder, stomach, ovary, and lung, as well as the rates of heart attack, stroke, DVT (blood clot) and total mortality in the vitamin supplement group, versus the same rates in the group without supplements. Unfortunately, there was no statistical improvement in the vitamin group for any of these parameters. Not one.

So, this is a convincing piece of evidence that vitamins do not prevent common cancers or cardiovascular disease, nor do they extend one's life expectancy, at least in the postmenopausal women of the study group.

What remains unanswered though, is whether there were any improvements in the "quality of life" parameters in the vitamin group. That's where believers in supplements, not to mention the multi-billion dollar supplement industry, are putting their hopes...

Special offers on injectables

Good news for those patients who are fans of Juvederm, Restylane, Evolence and Botox: the manufacturers seem to be trying to out-do each other with special offers, rebates and coupons. That means savings for you.

Here's some of the current special offers:

Botox cosmetic
- Schedule your initial botox treatment before February 28, 2009 and receive a $50 rebate coupon from Allergan. Make your follow-up treatment between May 1 and July 1, 2009 and receive a second $50 rebate.


Juvederm Ultra and Juvederm Ultra Plus injectable gel
- Schedule your Juvederm treatment before February 28, 2009, and receive a $100 rebate coupon from Allergan with your second syringe of Juvederm.


Evolence collagen dermal filler
- Schedule your Evolence treatment before December 31, 2009 and receive a $50 rebate coupon for each syringe used, up to $150.


Restylane and Perlane injectable gel
- Schedule your Restylane or Perlane treatments before February 28, 2009, and get the "buy-one, get the second half-off" special.

It seems like the time to get those wrinkles treated, doesn't it!

Latisse: Now available

Latisse, the eyelash enhancing formula made by Allergan, has recently received its FDA approval and is now available. We discussed this breakthrough product in one of my earlier blog chapters - I expect it to be very popular.

We'll be carrying it at our office - and let me tell you, the ladies on my staff are very excited to try it! I'm interested to see how it compares to earlier non-pharmaceutical strength formulations, like "MD Lash".

More details as they become available...